LEWISTON, NEW YORK | In St. Kitts, a small Caribbean Island colonized by the French and English with a current population of about 40,000, the most popular sport is cricket. But Adrian Norford fell in love with golf at the age of 12.
When Norford first attended summer camps as a child – a standard practice for children of the island nation – he was introduced to many sports including football, cricket and basketball. It took quite a while before someone mentioned golf.
At the time he didn’t know what golf was. The game has always been a sport for the rich and powerful in St. Kitts. Norford didn’t come from money. According to Survey Explorer, the average annual salary in 2019 for St. Kitts residents is 40,920 East Caribbean dollars, which equates to a little more than $15,000. However, Norford was a natural who said that he learned the game in two days.
As a young teenager, Norford began to work at nearby Royal St. Kitts Golf Club, one of only two golf courses on St. Kitts and Nevis, neighboring islands that constitute one country (the other is at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis).
He began as a starter boy – the U.S. equivalent of a bag boy – taking the guests’ bags and setting everything up before their rounds. That’s how Norford met the Hughes family.
Doug and Evelyn Hughes got married on St. Kitts during one of their many vacations to the island. As Norfold rose through the employee ranks at Royal St. Kitts, he eventually got to play with guests. Two of those were the Hugheses. Norford shot 63 that day. The couple was very impressed and wanted to help him with his golf career.
The Hugheses went back every year for a vacation and always saw Norford. This year, they brought Norford back to the States with them so he could work on his game and play in some tournaments. This week, he is competing in the 61st Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club, thanks to the Hugheses and their friend, Gary Klenk.
“Back home I don’t get much support,” Norford said. “So it was so nice to get help from Doug and Evelyn and Gary (Klenk). I mean, for them to help me, I really appreciate it.”
Built more like a cricketer than a golfer, Norford has an unconventional swing. But while he knows he’s not a “name” amateur, he couldn’t be more grateful for his time at the Porter Cup and his summer in the U.S.
The Hugheses, who live in Lockport, N.Y., knew of the Porter Cup, but they didn’t know how to reach out to tournament directors. But Klenk knew people involved with the tournament and reached out to them. When the Porter Cup officials heard Norford’s story, they decided to give him a shot.
“When we learned about Adrian from an NFCC member the recruiting team agreed that he should be in the field,” said Michael Vitch, the Porter Cup’s co-tournament director. “We hope that he plays well and that his golf will help him rise up.”
“I’m not a guy that cries a lot, but when I got that phone call (from the Porter Cup) that I was in, I cried,” Norford said, the memory bringing a tear to his eye. “I was shaking. I enjoy this game so much.
“This means a lot. I don’t get much to play in tournaments like these big events.”
Norford, 34, shot 74-74 during the first two rounds at Niagara Falls Country Club, but walked off the course with the biggest smile.
“For him to come up here and transition to this type of a course and these type of greens, it’s really fun to see, and as one of his host families for the summer, we could not be more proud of him,” Klenk said.
Built more like a cricketer than a golfer, Norford has an unconventional swing. But while he knows he’s not a “name” amateur, he couldn’t be more grateful for his time at the Porter Cup and his summer in the U.S.
At the end of September, he’ll return to the island to resume work at Royal St. Kitts, practicing less and helping his family to make ends meet.
It will be a reality check after his time in the U.S., but Norford takes life as it comes, with joy and a constant smile.
“I am just so thankful,” he said.